MRI: Acquisition of an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Etcher for Nano/Micro Device Fabrication

该项目的目标是在史蒂文斯获得均匀和高度选择性的各向异性蚀刻能力，用于制造微/纳米级传感器、致动器和设备的研究和培训。为了实现这一目标，我们请求提供资金，用于购买最先进的电感耦合等离子刻蚀系统。智力上的功绩。所要求的电感耦合等离子体刻蚀系统将极大地增强史蒂文斯微设备实验室现有的微/纳米制造能力。目前直接受益于请求的系统的研究项目包括：1)。用于传感、通信和医学的纳米和微型器件；2)单电子碳纳米管存储器件；3)用于微流体和纳米生物科学应用的纳米工程表面；以及4)微型化学系统的自下而上的原型。此外，这一ICP Etcher将促进和培育史蒂文斯大学在微系统和纳米技术方面的多学科研究密集型学习环境。这种电感耦合等离子体刻蚀器对于完成史蒂文斯微/纳米制造能力的制造工艺链是必不可少的。它的能力将极大地影响许多多学科领域的研究项目，其中许多领域具有重大的更广泛的影响，包括：中风患者提取血栓的新方法、新型记忆和波导设备、生物分子传感以及神经再生和伤口愈合。这项仪器申请还将支持史蒂文斯正在进行的两项教育计划：一项新的纳米技术跨学科博士项目和一项NSF纳米技术本科教育补助金，方法是增加学生接触拟议的ICPEtcher和利用其能力的研究项目的人数。研究成果也将通过推广计划向K-12学生提供。

The objective of this project is to achieve uniform and highly selective anisotropic etching capabilities for research and training in fabrication of micro/nanoscale sensors, actuators and devices at Stevens. To achieve this objective we request funding for the acquisition of a state-of-the-art Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) etching system. Intellectual Merit. The requested ICP etching system will greatly augment existing micro/nano fabrication capabilities within the MicroDevices Laboratory at Stevens. Current research projects directly benefiting from the requested system include: 1). Nano and micro devices for sensing, communications and medicine; 2) Single-electron carbon nanotube memory devics; 3) Nanoengineered surfaces for microfluidic and nanobioscience applications; and 4) Bottom-up prototyping of microchemical systems. Further, this ICP Etcher will promote and foster a multidisciplinary research-intense learning environment in microsystems and nanotechnology at Stevens.Broader Impact. This ICP etcher is essential to complete the fabrication process chain for micro/nano fabrication capabilities at Stevens. Its capability will greatly impact research projects in a number of multidisciplinary areas, many of which have significant broader impact, including: new methods for thrombus retrieval from stroke patients, novel memory and waveguide devices, biomolecular sensing, and nerve regeneration and wound healing. This instrumentation request will also support two educational initiatives underway at Stevens: a new cross-disciplinary PhD program in Nanotechnology and an NSF Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education grant, by increasing the number of students exposed to the proposed ICP Etcher and the research projects leveraging its capabilities. Research results will also be made available to K-12 students through the outreach program.